Decorative light ornament



Nov. 15, 1938. B. BERWICK DECORATIVE LIGHT ORNAMENT Filed April 29. 1956INVENTOR .Eeznard fiern 'c' BS Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE This invention relates to lighted decorative or namentsand particularly to such lighted decorativeuornaments for use onChristmas trees, wreaths and the like. Decorative effects on Christmastrees and the like have heretofore been obtained by the use ofcolored oruncoloredlights associated or not associated with ornaments of' variousdesigns, shapes and forms such as stars and globes made from tinsel,foil or the like. The decorative effects created by such lights whenassociated with conventional ornaments such as tinsel-stars, globes andthe like, as a background for the light, have been comparatively draband ineffective belights, with which they have been heretoforeassociated, have been disposed to reflectthe light merely intensifiedand in a glare that is. ordinarily harmful to the eyes. i

My invention contemplates the proviison of an ornamental reflectorwhereby the light will be concentrated or reflected in a decorative,pleasing or? ornamental manner providing pleasing and ornamentalillusory effects surrounding the source of light. r

My invention further contemplates the provision of ornamental reflectorsof the character described whichicreate upon illumination the illusionary appearance of luminous ornamental figuresof specificconfiguration and of well defined outline having a selected shape toform a design such as stars, crosses, sunbursts, crescents, globes orthe like, surrounding the source of light.

My inventioncontemplates still further the provision of such ornamentalreflectors which have in association with such illusionary luminousornamental figures surrounding the light, means for reflecting halos oflesser luminosity surrounding the luminous images.

Still'further contemplated by the present inventionl provideornaments ofthe character described which'will reflect illusionary designs or'illusionary configurations of the character described ofdifferingcolors and hues and of varying intensities and degrees.

Further objects of my from the description which follows and from thedrawing inwhich 50 Fig. l is aplan view of a decorative ornamentconstructed-in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a modification ofmy invention, partiallybroken away.

= Fig.3 isa plan view of a: further, modification 55 of my. invention,partially, broken away.

cause such ornamental backgrounds and the invention will beclear Fig. 4'is a side-elevation and partialsection of a still furthermodification ofmy. invention.

Fig.- 5. isaperspective view of the decorative ornament: illustratedinFig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a still further modification of my invention.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates the application of myinvention tovornaments which produce the illusion or. optical effect ofa radiating luminous star, aura and/or corona or a combination thereof,it willbe understoodthat the complementary light reflecting planes whichtogether combine with a source of illumination to provide the noveldecorative lighting efiects may-be adapted to= form other selectedshapes and forms.

Referring now to. the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and:5, I. have therein illustratedianrembodiment. of: my invention which isadapted to provide a decorative luminousornament in the form. of a fivepointed star;

The ornament frame :l-ll may be fabricated from any suitable materialsuch as. paper, cardboard, fibre board, sheet metal, thermosettingplastics or the like in the form of a five pointed star having aplurality. of. preferably similar light reflecting elements IZreXtendingfrom the hub l4.

Centrallyv disposed, in. the hub, I provide the light socket receivingaperture 16' in which a source of illumination, such as the conventionallight. bulb i 8: is arranged The decorative ornament: isassembledtogether with the light by inserting the threaded light bulb base20Linto the aperture 16 into engagementwiththeconventional socket 22,which is connected to a. suitable electrical current supply by theelectrical wires 24.

The light bulb is screwedinto the socket, which is. thereby urgedagainst theinsulating washer 26, secured. to the underside 28iof theornament hub, in any suitable manner, as by cementing it thereto.

The washer is formed from any suitable insulating material and ispreferably somewhat resilient to thereby-at the same time provide alocking washer. betweenthe light bulb, socket and ornament; for securingthe parts together.

The insulating washer is arranged adjacent the-ornamenuapertureconcentric therewith and extends radially beyond the inner aperturewall, thereby disposing the insulating annulus 30 over a portion oftheaperturaqthe central portion 3| of .which washer is also aperturedtoreceive the light bulb basetinserted, thereinto. upon assembling theparts.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely simplified insulatedstructure which eliminates danger of fire which might be occasioned bypossible short circuiting of the light or socket and. which provides aninexpensive ornamental frame for the bulb.

In order to provide the novel decorative lighting effect ornaments ofthe present invention'I arrange on the frame a plurality 'of elementshaving reflecting surfaces of highintensity which complement one anotherto form a figure of definite and specific configuration and outline,which figure will appear in the reflected light from the I light sourceas an intensely luminous object and which will be distinctly set off bythe base or other surrounding non-luminous portions of the frame.

In order to effect such an optical illusion, I have found that thedimensions of the mirrored surfaces in relation to the height anddiameter of the light bulb should not be great enough to reflect anoutline image of the bulb but should be of. such dimensions that theentire mirrored surfaces reflect the light preferably of even .intensityfrom all parts thereof.

If desired, in order to further accentuate the outline of the radiallyextended mirrored surfaces, thesaid mirrored surfaces may be disposed onthe radially extending elements inwardly of the outer edges thereof toprovide the outline moulding strips 34, which may beprovided with acomparatively nonreflecting surface similar to that of the hub.

I have also found thatthe illusion and optical effect created by mynovel decorative ornament is somewhat intensified by disposing thehighly reflecting surfaces at an angle to the comparatively.nonreflecting surface. The exact angle at which the highly reflectingsurfaces are disposed is dependent on their dimensions in relation tothe size of the .light bulb, but within the limits above mentioned,namely that. the entire mirrored surface reflects the'light, thesesurfaces may be arranged at any angle from 0.,to, 90 degrees.

For the light bulbs'conventionally. used for Christmas tree.decorations; I prefer-to arrange the mirrored'surfaces at an angle of 45degrees to the comparatively nonreflecting surface- I have found that inthe modification just described where the radially extending elementsare disposed at an angle to the hub, the hub may be provided with areflecting surface similar to that of the radially extending elements.and a similarly radiating luminous figure is obtained, thoughitsintensity. and outline definition is somewhat lessened. g

If desired, the light bulb may be tinted any desirable color, such aspurple, gold, blue, green or the like, which color is reflected by themirrored surface to give the optical impression of a colored star or thelike. i

It will be apparent that the highly reflecting and comparativelynonreflecting surfaces may each, themselves, likewise be tinted bysimilar or dissimilar colors and combined with a tinted light bulb, thecolor of which may be selected to complement and/or merge with thecolors of the different reflecting surfaces. 'It will be apparent thatinnumerable combinations of colors and designs may be efi'ected bychanging the figures, designs and the like, the colors. of theirreflecting surfaces and intermingling the colors of the light bulb andofthe reflecting surfaces and their designs.

For example, I have found that an extremely novel decorative effect maybe produced by pro viding both the radially extending elements and thehub portion with similar mirrored surfaces. The upper bulb portion 36 istinted with any desired color, for example blue, and the lower bulb 38is uncolored. The length of that part of the bulb which is colored inrelation to the angularly disposed surfaces, is such that only coloredlight is reflected by them and not by the hub portion.

The effect produced is quite startling and is that of a five pointedstar having luminously colored radiating points and a brightly luminouscentre portion. Different combinations, variations and effects of thismodification will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, I have therein illustrated a modifiedembodiment of my invention.

In order to provide the optical effect of a luminous aura or corona, Iprovide on the ornament frame 40 a plurality of comparatively smallelements 42, which are disposed circumferentially onthe comparativelyextended hub portion 44 of the frame to thereby project radiallytherefrom and which elements are provided with surfaces 46 ofcomparatively high light reflecting power, such as have been hereinabovedescribed. The extended hub portion is preferably provided with asurface of contrasting and dissimilar reflecting power.

Upon association with a light the optical effect of a radiating luminousaura or corona is thereby produced.

.It will be understood that the relative dimensions and angles of thereflecting surfaces and the light bulb, the combinations of colors,lights and designs thereof are governed by the same considerationsenumerated with the description of the embodiment illustrated in Figures1, 2 and 5.

v In order to provide a still further novel effect, I superimposeconcentrically therewith the ornament frame 40 on a similar ornamentframe 48. The upper and lower ornament frames are secured to theinsulating Washer 50, interposed between the frames, in any suitablemanner as by cementing them thereto.

The upper and lower frames are provided respectively with the light bulbbase receiving apertures 52 and 54.

The insulating washer is arranged adjacent the ornament frame apertures,concentric therewith and extending beyond the side walls thereof toprovide the insulating annulus 56.

The ornament frame and light are assembled by inserting the threadedlight bulb base 58 into engagement with the conventional socket 60,which is connected to a source of electric current supply by the wires62.

The shoulder 64 of the socket is urged by the bulb against the washer,which is formed from any suitable insulating material, preferablyresilient, to thereby secure the ornament frame therebetween. The underframe is provided with a plurality of radially extending elements 66,which are preferably arranged intermediate the radial elements extendingon the upper frame to thereby complement the light reflected by them.

The under frame radial elements are preferably provided with a surfaceof somewhat lower light reflecting power than that of the adjacent upperframe radial elements, though it will be understood that surfaces ofsimilar light reflecting power may be provided.

This resulting modification of my invention produces the optical. effectand illusion of two radiating luminous superimposed auras or C- ronas.

It will be understood that, if desired, the radially extending elementsmay be disposed at an angle to the frame hub as illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will be further understood that the relative dimensions of thereflecting surface of the upper and lower frames with respect to thelight bulb, their combinations and colors, lights and designs aregoverned by the same considerations enumerated above.

A still further modification of my invention is illustrated in Fig. 6,wherein the ornament frame comprises an upper frame 68, provided with acomparatively large number of radially extending elements andsuperimposed upon a lower frame 12 having a surface of different lightreflecting power and provided preferably with an equal number ofradially extending elements 14, which are arranged to extendintermediately of the upper frame radial elements. The surfaces arepreferably not mirrored or highly polished.

The frames are assembled together on an insulating washer 16, in themanner heretofore described and which need not therefore be repeatedhere.

The reflecting surface of the upper frame throughout the hub 18 and theradial elements extending therefrom is the same, the novel decorativeeffect,upon assembly with a source of light in the manner heretoforedescribed, resulting from the reflecting superimposed reflectingsurfaces of contrasting light reflecting power.

The radial extending elements of the ornament frames of thismodification may be disposed at an angle to the hub portion and thesurfaces and lights tinted with different colors and. different designscombined in the manner heretofore described.

It will be apparent that I have provided means for securing newdecorative effects from the association with a source of illumination ofa decorative ornament.

It will be further apparent that I have provided a novel decorativeornament which, upon association with a source of illumination, producesthe optical effect of an intensely luminous figure, design, motif oremblem.

It will be still further apparent that decorative ornaments constructedin accordance with my invention may be arranged in innumerablecombinations of designs, colors and lights to thereby provide countlessdifferent optical effects.

While the invention has been described in detail with specific examples,such examples are illustrative and are not given as limitations sincemodifications other than the star, corona 0r aura,

which have been illustrated and which are within the spirit and scope ofthe invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Hence, theinvention is to be understood as limited only as indicated in theappended claims, in which the intent is to .set forth all the noveltyover the prior art.

I claim:

1. A decorative ornament for association with a light source comprisinga hub portion having an opening for the base of the light source andhaving a dull surface, anda reflector portion of selected outlinedefining a specific configuration, said reflector portion being of asize and disposed at an angle relative to the light source whereby it isadapted to reflect less than a complete image of the light source tothereby provide the illusion of a luminous figure of said specificconfiguration.

2. A decorative ornament for association with a light source comprisinga hub portion having a dull surface and an opening for the base of thelight source and a reflector portion comprising a plurality ofreflecting elements having high reflective intensity radiating from thesaid base and arranged in selected outline defining a specificconfigurationQand a plurality of elements of comparatively lesserreflective intensity radiating from the said base and extending beyondthe said highly reflective elements, the said highly reflective elementsbeing of a size and disposed at an angle relative to the source of lightwhereby they are adapted to reflect an intensely luminous image of thespecific configuration, and the said reflecting elements of lesserintensity adapted to reflect a comparatively lessluminous halosurrounding the said highly luminous image of the specificconfiguration.

BERNARD BERWICK.

